Alumni Council Election

As an alumni, you are invited to participate in the Alumni Council election. This year, there are three seats to fill in the Council. Please read about the candidates below who have expressed interest in serving on Alumni Council. Each elected Council Member will serve a 3-year term, and represent the Alumni Association, have an opportunity to speak into the programs and services we offer alumni, as well as help alumni stay engaged in the mission of Redeemer.

The voting will commence May 16 and end May 26, 2022.

Go to the voting form

Alumni Council Candidates

Aren Plante ‘19

Current Occupation: Committee Coordinator, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, Norfolk County

Aren graduated from Redeemer in 2019 with his B.A. (Hon.) in History and Political Science. While at Redeemer, he served as an academic senator, worked as a teaching assistant, and participated in a study abroad program at Oxford University. Aren recently completed his Master of Public Administration in Local Government from the University of Western. Aren grew up in Haldimand County and has had the opportunity to travel to over 40 countries around the world. He currently serves as Secretary of the Alumni Council, is a member of the Distinguished Alumni Award Committee, and is assisting in governance review of the Alumni Council. Aren is seeking his second term on Alumni Council.

Danica Thomsen-Harnick ‘15

Current Occupation: Teacher

Danica graduated from Redeemer in 2015 with a Phys Ed major, Religion minor, and B Ed. She lives in Ottawa with her husband, John. While at Redeemer she participated in Varsity Cross-Country and Student Senate. She is currently working as a Virtual Physical Education teacher. On Alumni Council, Danica serves as the Vice President and is a member of the Awards Committee, and is seeking a second term on Alumni Council.

Katrina deSchiffert ‘18

Current Occupation: Television producer

Katrina’s years at Redeemer shaped her as an individual. She was thoroughly challenged by amazing professors and fellow students, and was well prepared to work in her field by graduation and felt empowered to make a difference.

Katrina would like to be part of the Alumni Council because she believes alumni communications can be better, and current students would benefit from stronger engagement and communication with alumni, whether that is internship opportunities, more scholarships, networking events etc. She believes Redeemer is a great university and desires to see it thrive.

Samuel Vandeputte ‘21

Current Occupation: Graduate Student

Samuel would love to serve on the Alumni Council because he wants to remain connected to the Redeemer community and use his expertise for the benefit of the Council. Having served as Student Senate president, TA, tutor, and a range of other roles at Redeemer in the past, Samuel believes he would bring extensive and up-to-date institutional knowledge as a recent graduate. His goal is to bring Redeemer closer to former students. Samuel would be interested in partnering with the University to explore the option of tapping into the donor potential of alumni. He thinks establishing a more robust donor-donee relationship between alumni and the University would be a meaningful way of fostering alumni relations. Additionally, his experiences with the business, non-for-profit, and public sectors will enable him to significantly contribute to the day-to-day operations of the Council. Finally, Samuel’s gratitude for the way our University has shaped him is the driving factor for him wanting to put his time and talent to work in ensuring Redeemer remains a life-changing institution for generations to come.